Dongmyo curry restaurant with shrimp vindaloo and cheese naan: Namaste

A while back I went on a jjimjilbang (Korean sauna) date in Dongmyo, and while looking for somewhere to eat dinner I had this place on my shortlist: Namaste Dongmyo Branch, which specializes in Indian curry and naan.

That day I was craving lamb skewers more, so I ended up somewhere else — but weirdly, ever since then, curry and naan kept popping into my head. 😂 I couldn't resist any longer, so this time I went back to Dongmyo specifically for curry.

Turns out this place has made the Blue Ribbon Survey for nine years straight since 2018, so my expectations went up even more once I found that out.

Namaste Dongmyo Branch: location, hours and parking

Namaste Dongmyo Branch is on the 2nd floor of 18 Jibong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, right in front of Exit 5 of Dongmyo Station (Line 6). We got there around 5:30 pm on a weekday, and as soon as we came out of Exit 5, the 2nd-floor storefront was right there — super easy to find.

There's a standing sign out front with the menu and arrows pointing to the entrance, so even on a first visit it wasn't hard to find. There's no dedicated parking lot, so if you're driving, the paid public parking lot at the nearby Changsin 1-dong Community Center is the option. Hours are daily 11:00–22:00, with last order at 21:00.

It's also close to the Dongmyo flea market and the Dongdaemun stationery/toy alley, so it works well as a stop before or after browsing the neighborhood — a good spot for a Dongmyo date.

An Indian mood from the moment you open the door

We followed the signs into the building and up to the 2nd floor. The vibe from the entrance was already pretty distinctive.

The second we passed through one door, it suddenly felt like we'd been transported to India. There's a cave-like, exotic corridor lined with sculptures on both sides — not something you'd see at a typical restaurant, so it was fun from the moment we walked in. Halfway down the corridor there's also an in-store restroom.

Right after the corridor was the counter, where you can see the restaurant's Blue Ribbon history — selected every year from 2019 to 2026, and also awarded the Red Ribbon in 2024 and 2026. Seeing that consistency in person raised my expectations for the food even before we sat down.

Namaste specializes in authentic Indian and Nepalese cuisine, recreating deep, traditional flavors by combining dozens of spices. Fun fact: "Namaste" is an Indian/Nepalese greeting meaning "the god within me bows to the god within you."

Namaste Dongmyo Branch also uses Halal-certified Brazilian lamb and Halal-certified domestic whole chicken.

How big is Namaste Dongmyo Branch? Room for groups and families

The interior is done up in a wood-toned Indian style throughout. Between the India-inspired decor and the exotic background music, the atmosphere was genuinely distinctive.

More than anything, the place was much bigger than I expected. Tables were generously spaced and there was plenty of room, making it comfortable to eat in.

Further inside there's a separate, room-like space with plenty of tables as well — so beyond couple dates, it looked like a good fit for family meals, group gatherings, or company dinners.

The 50,000-won couple set with vegetable curry swapped for shrimp vindaloo

We sat down and looked through the menu. Signature menu, couple menu, curries, naan and rice, desserts, Nepalese snacks, lassi, tea and drinks, even alcohol — a genuinely huge lineup.

There were so many options that we went with the ₩50,000 couple set, which lets you try a bunch of dishes at once.

• Samosa 2pcs
• Chicken tikka 4pcs
• Shrimp chili
• Chicken makhani
• Vegetable curry
• Plain rice
• Garlic naan
• Choice of tea / lassi / yogurt

They said you can swap the curry for a different one by paying the price difference, so instead of the vegetable curry we switched to shrimp vindaloo. For the drink, we chose lassi.

How generous is the couple set at Namaste Dongmyo Branch?

After ordering, the dishes started coming out one by one. Once everything arrived, the portions were genuinely huge — this was the couple set, but the table was so packed I wondered if two people could actually finish it.

With so many dishes laid out at once, it looked really appetizing just to look at. Let's go through them one by one.

Samosas: crisp outside, light inside

First up, the samosas. A samosa is an Indian-style fried dumpling filled with spiced potato and peas. The outside was really crispy and the inside was packed full.

They came with ketchup for dipping, so I tried one. Under the crunchy fried shell, you could taste the mild potato filling with a subtle hint of Indian spice woven through. The spices weren't overpowering, which made it easy to enjoy without hesitation.

Chicken tikka, the one dish I'd recommend most

Next was the chicken tikka. Chicken tikka is chicken marinated in special Indian spices and yogurt, cooked in a tandoor (traditional clay oven), and skewered.

The first thing I noticed was a distinct smoky char flavor. That smokiness really came through and made it delicious, and the chicken itself was tender. You might worry that Indian food means overwhelming spice, but for me the spice level here wasn't too strong at all.

This was honestly one of my favorite dishes of the day — if you visit Namaste Dongmyo Branch, I'd definitely recommend trying the chicken tikka.

Shrimp chili tasted better than expected

Next was the shrimp chili. Honestly, I didn't expect much from a shrimp chili dish at an Indian curry place, but it was surprisingly good. It's shrimp about the size of cocktail shrimp, battered and stir-fried in chili sauce — the shrimp were plump and the chili seasoning was tasty.

If you eat nothing but curry and naan the whole meal, it can start to feel a bit one-note, so having something different like the shrimp chili in the mix made it nice to alternate between dishes.

Chicken makhani, the creamy signature curry

And then the curry I was most looking forward to — chicken makhani! It's Namaste's signature bestselling curry, made with fresh tomato, butter, and cream.

I piled it generously over rice, and the bright tang of tomato paired beautifully with the smooth, rich cream. One bite and I understood exactly why this is the bestseller.

There was also a generous amount of chicken in it, so you got to enjoy the meat along with the rice. Of all the curries I had that day, chicken makhani was personally my favorite.

How spicy is the shrimp vindaloo I chose instead of vegetable curry?

The dish I swapped in for the vegetable curry was shrimp vindaloo. I figured that eating everything else could start to feel a bit rich, so I deliberately switched to a spicy curry.

It was actually pretty spicy — more than I expected. Still, eating it alternately with the other dishes worked out well. There was a generous amount of shrimp, and if you like spicy food it's worth ordering. That said, personally, chicken makhani's soft, rich flavor still edged out the shrimp vindaloo for me.

Naan dipped in curry is still the best combination

Next up is my personal favorite when eating curry — garlic naan. Honestly, I like dipping naan into curry way more than eating curry over rice. The garlic naan portion was bigger than I expected, too.

I tore off a piece and dipped it deep into the curry — still so good. It went best with the chicken makhani in particular. The soft tomato-and-cream curry soaked into the naan, and with the savory naan flavor on top, I couldn't stop reaching for more.

The problem was, I was already pretty full... 😂 But the naan was so good that I couldn't resist and ended up ordering an extra cheese naan.

Cheese naan packed with melted cheese

When the cheese naan arrived, I honestly thought a cheese pizza had shown up by mistake — that's how much cheese was stuffed between the layers of naan. It looked incredibly appetizing, and when I cut it in half, the inside was completely packed with cheese. Even when transferring it to my plate, the cheese stretched out in long strings.

It's great on its own, but since we were at a curry restaurant, I had to try dipping it into curry too.

Wow... I would have seriously regretted it if I hadn't ordered this.

Dipping the cheese naan into the chicken makhani added the richness of cheese on top of the already soft, rich curry — genuinely delicious. I thought I was too full to eat any more, but somehow it kept going in. 😂 If you're looking for a Dongmyo naan restaurant, I'd recommend the cheese naan too.

Lassi to finish the meal

Lastly, I had the lassi. Lassi served with Indian food can feel too sour if it's not balanced right, but the one here was just tangy enough with a touch of sweetness, so it was easy to drink without feeling heavy. After all that curry and naan, one glass at the end was a nice way to cleanse the palate.

3 dishes I'd order again at Namaste Dongmyo Branch

After trying a wide range of dishes at Namaste Dongmyo Branch this time, here are the three I'd definitely order again if I come back.

• 🥇 Chicken makhani — the bright tang of tomato paired perfectly with the soft, rich cream.
• 🥈 Chicken tikka — that solid smoky char plus tender chicken! A dish I'd personally recommend without hesitation.
• 🥉 Cheese naan — so packed with cheese that dipping it into curry keeps you reaching for more.

Looking for curry near Dongmyo? Try Namaste Dongmyo Branch

Last time I was in Dongmyo, I passed this place by because I wanted lamb skewers more — but the curry and naan kept nagging at me until I finally came back. Having tried it firsthand, I get why it's kept its Blue Ribbon status for so long.

I especially liked being able to enjoy chicken tikka and shrimp chili alongside the curry and naan, and the spices weren't overwhelming for my taste, so it was easy to enjoy without any hesitation. On top of that, the exotic atmosphere hits you from the moment you walk in, giving it a different kind of fun compared to a typical restaurant.

It's also close to the Dongmyo flea market and the Dongdaemun stationery/toy alley, so browsing the area before or after your meal makes for a nice Dongmyo date course. If you're looking for a Dongmyo curry restaurant like I was — or an unusual Dongmyo Blue Ribbon restaurant near Dongmyo Station — I'd recommend this place.

Especially if you prefer dipping naan into curry over eating it with rice, be sure to try the garlic naan and then the cheese naan. 😋 It's clear now why this place has held onto its Blue Ribbon status for so long. If you want proper Indian and Nepalese curry and naan in Dongmyo, I'd recommend Namaste Dongmyo Branch.

Namaste Dongmyo Branch visit information

• 📍 2nd floor, 18 Jibong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• 🚇 Right in front of Exit 5, Dongmyo Station (Line 6)
• ⏰ Daily 11:00–22:00 (last order 21:00)
• 🚗 No on-site parking / paid public parking at nearby Changsin 1-dong Community Center
• 🍛 Authentic Indian and Nepalese cuisine / curry / naan / tandoori / Nepalese snacks, etc.
• 📦 Takeout and delivery available